Muscle Groups

Planes of Motion

Outer Unit

Necessary Material

Objective

The kneeling ab rollout is a challenging exercise to strengthen the abs and core.

The kneeling ab rollout also heavily involves the hip flexors.

Many progressions are possible to vary the intensity of the exercise.

Starting Position

This exercise can be performed with the ab wheel or with a barbell.

Kneel on the floor.

Grab the handles of the ab wheel.

The arms are extended.

Execution

Roll the ab wheel out as far as possible.

Lower your body to the floor by extending the arms forward.

Return to the initial position.

Coaching Keys

Squeeze your abs and prevent your back from arching when rolling the wheel out.

If you can not roll the wheel out until you are completely stretched out without arching your back, then start by rolling out part of the way.

Variations

The kneeling ab rollout can be made easier or harder through various progressive steps.

The assisted kneeling ab rollout is a beginner exercise to strengthen the abs and core. The assisted kneeling ab rollout minimizes the eccentric demand to decelerate the movement and is therefore a good first step in the progression.

The kneeling ab rollout - knees on box is an intermediate exercise to strengthen the abs and core. By placing the knees on a box, a higher percentage of body weight is shifted towards the arms. This makes it slightly harder to decelerate the movement.

The exercise can be made much more challenging by adding resistance. The resisted kneeling ab rollout is an advanced core and abdominal exercise. This exercise is the last step in the progression before moving to a standing ab rollout.

The kneeling MB rollout is the same exercise as the kneeling ab rollout, but performed with a medicine ball instead of the ab wheel. This exercise is suitable for intermediate and advanced fitness levels.

The kneeling straight-arm SB rollout is an intermediate level exercise to strengthen the abs and core. In this exercise the rollout is performed using a stability ball.